AMD could start site work for chip fab by July

The semiconductor manufacturer told Malta officials that, if it decides to proceed with construction of its $3.2 billion fabrication plant, it would want to break ground as soon as next January, said our reporter Larry Rulison, who’s covering this evening’s meeting of the Malta Town Board.

AMD said it would build an 890,000-square-foot plant, the first of what could eventually be three similar-size plants at Luther Forest Technology Park.

The first plant would employ 1,400 people, and would begin producing revenues for the company two years after the start of actual construction. But activity at the site could begin as early as July, with preconstruction activities getting under way, AMD officials said during a review of their site plans by the Malta Town board this evening.

Still, no final decision has been made on whether the company will proceed. It’s been struggling financially, with heavy losses in recent quarters. An announcement on whether AMD is going to commit to the Luther Forest would come in the next several months, officials said. They’d like to have a building permit for the project by December. See complete coverage of the meeting in Tuesday’s Times Union.